For teaching and research positions: In addition to an expert assessment of the applicants’ qualifications, an interview shall take place in order to assess the applicant’s personal qualities and suitability. Only applicants who are considered as qualified by the expert assessment committee will be called in for a job interview.
At any appointment to a teaching or research position, a test lecture will be scheduled in addition.
In the interview
In principle, employers can ask any type of questions that are helpful to create a clear picture of the candidate, for example questions with regards to expertise, work experience, personal skills, personal interests, family situation. However, there are some limits to which questions may be asked. Please note that the stipulations of the Work Environment Act, section 13-1 on prohibition against discrimination, are also valid in job interview situations.
As the potential future manager of the candidate, you should conduct the interview. This may be the first time you meet a new employee.
- Base your interview questions on the requirements defined in the job description.
- Ask the same questions to all candidates.
- Register and evaluate the information from the interview in collaboration with the interview panel.
- Keep the interview process as similar as possible for all candidates.
As soon as the interview is over, the participants in the interview panel should summarise and note down their impressions. It is best if the interviewers first write down their own comments before drawing joint conclusions.
It is important to keep to the facts and not lose oneself in feelings. Too much weight on a first impression may be dangerous. Any conclusions at this stage should be strictly made with regards to the job requirements and job description as defined before the interview. A summary of the candidate’s suitability with regards to these will form an excellent basis for writing the eventual recommendation report at a later stage.
We recommend that you immediately write down any points that you wish to clarify in more detail during the reference calls. It is easy to forget relevant matters for clarification when you have had several interviews in a row and/or if it takes time before getting hold of the reference contacts in question.
Remember, it’s not just about you choosing a candidate; the candidate also needs to choose UiA.